The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-06-09
GEORGIA AND NORTH CAROLINA
FARMERS TOUCHING Ell
BOWS AGAIN. fo\

W. quote from a letter of II. N.
Starnes, of Marietta, Ca, in the June.
number of the Southern CuHavator. 1T
relates to what he conceives to be the
duty of the Commissioner of Agricul-
ture towards the farmers of the State.
We adopt it and giye it to<our readers
as fair Interpretation ot fhe delicately
expressed wishes of $uf\farmers in
each of their conventions held in this
city in January last. The farmers of the
whole country are beginning to figure
up the cost of so-called farmers institu-
tions, and r measuring very closely
the fitness and capacity of the men who
are placed in charge of them. They
are clamorous for better and more
practical work. They justly expect
these officers to identify themselves
strongly in work and in sympathy
with their interests. This paper has
never criticized harshly the work of
our Commissioner. But when it be-
came evident that our Board would
make a change, it felt it a duty it owed
to the farmers of the State to indicate
to the Board, in most respectful terms,
the qualifications necessary to meet
public expectation. The growing in
terest and the determination among
our farmers to have reform in all mat
tiers relating to their interests, is being
manifested constantly and in various
ways. With the very best of feeling
we respectfully commend the sugges-
tions in MI. Starne's letter to the ear
nest consideration of our Commits
sioner, as being applicable to our own
State.
If Commissioner Robinson would
have the cordial support and co-opera-
ton of the farmers of the State-if he
would secure respect for the work and
confidence in the fitness and capacity
of it's management, he will "turn over
a new leaf" in his Office. He has work
hard work-bag work before him,
and the success of his administration
will be measured by his ability to per-
form it. Namby-pambyism may be
tolerated in political Office; but the day
has passed in North Carolina, when
the farmers are to be trifed with in
matters which they regard as of vital
Importance to them. We mean no re.
Election on the ability or the loyalty Of
our Commissioner, but position as
a representative of a large number of
our farmers, and a sense Of justice to
him, require that we should speak
plainly as to the future conduct of his
Department. Butte the extracts: !;
p r,s'Commissioner Henderson's efforts
are honest and are appreciated at their
full value. But what we want is
not wholesale generalization, correct
though it may be; not a recapitulation
of well-known and deeplydeplored i'm
perfections and failures, but specific
directions how to overcome the one,
and avoid the other. Tt isaone thing.
to preach universal damnation but
quite another to show each separate
sinner exactly how to mend his ways
and reachsthe strait and narrow path:
Now, this is precisely what leach
one Of u.s. separate agricultural sin.
ners wants, and what we have a right
to expect and demand from our Ag-
ricultural Department and 1.-The Com
missioner -Wedo not want general
We want specific instruction and In
formation. 1t will not suffice to prove
to us merely that cotton doesn't pay